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Tips For Saving Money on Energy Bills

Saturday, March 11, 2017

This is the time of year when we take one look at our monthly energy bill and go running for the hills. The rising cost of energy can be daunting. We all want to cut your consumption and
keep big bills at bay, but how do we do that?

The U.S. Department of Energy says that the attic is the place from which the
majority of the heat in your home escapes, which makes sense because heat
rises. If you want to keep more of the heat you’re paying to generate in
your home so that you can use your home heating more efficiently, consider
adding extra insulation to your attic. By doing so, you could cut your
energy consumption by as much as 20 percent.

Install Solar Panels

Instead of paying electricity companies vast sums to keep your home
running, why not harness the power of the sun instead? If you live in an
area that gets lots of sun, you could generate most of your energy needs
with well-placed
solar panels
, and you’ll never have to worry about your energy bills spiraling out of
control again.

Apply Weather Stripping

Weather stripping is fast, inexpensive, and easy to install, and it is great at keeping
those pesky drafts out. Apply it to all of your doors and windows and no
longer will the wind be able to get in or your hot air out, unless you want
it to.

Change Your Lightbulbs

You can cut the amount of energy you use to light up your home by as much
as 75 percent simply by changing the light bulbs from incandescent to CFL
or LED bulbs. You’ll get the same level of light, just with a smaller price
tag and a smaller carbon footprint.

Invest in a Programmable Thermostat

You could save 10 percent on your future utility bills by installing a
programmable thermostat
which will give you more control than ever over the temperature of your
home and allow you to make small adjustments that will add up to big
savings.

Use Cold Water for Washing

When you’re doing the laundry, if your clothes aren’t heavily soiled, try
washing them in cold water. Shockingly, 90 percent of the energy a washing
machine used goes towards heating the water, so by making this one change,
you can quickly rack up the savings. Your clothes will be just as clean
too!

Fill the Dishwasher

If you’re looking to cut the cost of your energy use, you should never ever
run your dishwasher unless it’s full. Dishwashers work at their best and
most efficient when they are full, but not overloaded.

Purchase Energy Star Appliances

Appliances that have been Energy Star rated use far
less energy than non-rated models, and they can usually be purchased for a
similar price. We recently replaced our stove, and I was astounded by how much less gas we used with an upgraded, energy efficient appliance. So, next time you need a new washer, fridge or stove, check
for an Energy Star rating first.

Use the Microwave

The
microwave gets a bad rap sometimes, but when you’re looking to save energy, it can be
a godsend. On average, a microwave uses 50 percent less energy to cook your
meals than your stove, so even using it for a few meals a week will make
all the difference.

What steps do you take to ensure that your energy bills don’t get too high?